Jim was born and reared in Canton Ohio. Jim is the youngest of four children, two brothers and a sister. He is the son of the late Owen & Mary Nolte.

Jim graduated from Canton Lincoln High School in 1970. After graduating from Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky with a BA in History in 1974, Jim graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with his Master of Divinity in 1977, and received a Master of Arts in Religion in 1978, in Biblical Literature.

Jim is working on a Doctor of Ministries in Missions and Cross Cultural Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA. As part of Jim’s doctoral work, he has traveled and studied in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Jim was ordained a Deacon in 1975, and an Elder in the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1980. His appointments have included serving as an Associate Minister of Norwalk First UMC 1978 - 1983; pastor of the Portage Faith UMC 1983-1986; the Ashtabula First United Methodist Church 1986 - 1992; and as an Associate Director of the Conference Council On Ministries (CCOM) for Stewardship and Missions1992-1999.

As part of his CCOM portfolio, Jim was the Director of the Russia Initiative Task Force, doing work in Kursk, Russia since 1993; responsible for Mission Interpretation and Cultivation and Stewardship within the East Ohio Annual Conference ($14,000,000.00 Budget); fundraising and Major Gifts; coordinating the work of the Board of Global Ministries: World and National Missions, Disaster Response Coordinator, relating to the American Red Cross, FEMA and the United Methodist Committee on Relief; Health and Welfare and Volunteer in Missions/Disaster Response.

With extensive travel in the former Soviet Union, China, South America, Europe and the Middle East, Jim has dealt with the Church in various cross-cultural settings, both sacred and secular.

Since July 1, 1999, Jim has been appointed as the Senior Minister of the United Methodist Church of Uniontown, Ohio.